Ryan was born and raised in Inglewood by a single mom. He overcame and avoided the hardships of drugs and violence whilst growing up by focusing his energy in the kitchen

He has been cooking with his mom since he was six years old. Their intensely close bond stretched from the kitchen all the way to present day, living in the same apartment building only 100 feet from each other. 

Ryan is now a single dad to two children which is the driving force for him to cook on a budget. Having learned from his mom, his go-to money saving hacks include using canned ingredients, making his own herbs and spices, and finding a use for every piece of a slab of meat. 

His cooking style plays homage to his family's New Orleans roots, with a Californian elevation. Ryan is most known for his red beans and his take on a New Orleans Lasagna.  

His greatest personal accomplishment in cooking is having people fight over his red beans and rice. He also loves being able to pass down his love for cooking to his kids, a tradition that runs deep in his family.